


The Prince Bride

by crescenttwins



Series: On Hiatus/Incomplete [1]
Category: Code Geass
Genre: Alternate Universe - Princess Bride Fusion, Crack, F/M, Gratuitous Arthur Use, Imported, Kinkmeme, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-15
Updated: 2015-06-15
Packaged: 2018-04-04 13:41:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4139832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crescenttwins/pseuds/crescenttwins
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Suzaku was raised in a small temple in the country of Japan. His favorite pastimes were swinging his sword and tormenting the shrine boy that worked there. The shrine boy's name was Lelouch, but he never called him that (mostly because he was a really, really terrible shrine boy). Nothing gave Suzaku as much pleasure as bossing Lelouch around.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Prince Bride

**Author's Note:**

> This work is incomplete and on hiatus!

Suzaku was raised in a small temple in the country of Japan. His favorite pastimes were swinging his sword and tormenting the shrine boy that worked there. The shrine boy's name was Lelouch, but he never called him that (mostly because he was a really, really terrible shrine boy). Nothing gave Suzaku as much pleasure as bossing Lelouch around.  
  
Suzaku was in his late teens; he didn't care much of his clothes and he hated cutting his hair, so he wasn't as attractive as he might be, but he was still probably the most handsome man in the world.  
  
"Shrine boy. Polish my sword. I want to see my face shining in it by morning." Suzaku ordered, waving his hand at the blade.   
  
Stuntedly, Lelouch whispered, "Yes." For Lelouch was six months younger than Suzaku, and perhaps as beautiful as Suzaku was handsome. As Suzaku walked off to meet with Toudou, Lelouch gazed his back.  
  
"Yes" was all Lelouch ever said to him. (Some argue this is because Japanese was not Lelouch's first language, but this is not important to the narrative.)  
  


  
  
One day Lelouch was outside, sweeping the path (badly). Suzaku dropped two large buckets near him.   
  
"Shrine boy. Fill these with water--" Suzaku paused, remembering his father's scolding, "please."  
  
"Yes," Lelouch said, wrecked. He stared at Suzaku as he passed, barely glancing down and grabbing the buckets before the other male stopped, eyes lingering on his struggling figure.  
  
That day, Suzaku was amazed to discover that when Lelouch said, "Yes," what he meant was, "I love you."  
  
And even more amazing was the day Suzaku realized he truly loved him back.  
  
"Shrine boy," Suzaku said softly, pointing to a bokuto that he could have reached himself, "fetch me that bokuto."  
  
Lelouch grabbed it, handing it to Suzaku; their hands brushed on the hilt as they gazed into each other's eyes. "Yes," Lelouch said, before turning to continue his sweeping.  
  


  
  
Soon after, they began to meet on the shrine steps, sharing passionate kisses in the bright red glow of the departing sun. Alas, Lelouch had no money for marriage. So he packed his few belongings and left the shrine to seek his fortune across the sea.  
  
It was a very emotional time for Suzaku.  
  
"I fear I'm never going to see you again," Suzaku said.  
  
"You will," Lelouch replied.  
  
"But what if something happens to you?" Suzaku responded. "I have plenty of money; you needn't work, just be my kept boy or something."  
  
"Hear this now: I will come for you."  
  
"How can you be sure?" Suzaku argued. "I'd better come with you--"  
  
"This is true love," Lelouch announced. "You think this happens every day?" He smiled at Suzaku, so awkwardly that Suzaku had to smile back, throwing his arms tightly around the weaker male. They shared a kiss, and then Suzaku watched Lelouch stumble into the distance under the weight of his bag.  
  
But it was not to be.  
  
For Lelouch didn't reach his destination. His ship was attacked by the Dread Pirate Zero, who never left captives alive. (It was said that all his captives became henchmen, but this was ridiculous-- how much charisma could one man have?)   
  
And when Suzaku got the news that Lelouch had been murdered, he went into his room and shut the door. For days, he neither slept nor ate, mindlessly sharpening his blades.   
  
"I will never love again," he vowed, his eyes red.  
  


  
  
Five years later, the main square of Tokyo, Japan was filled as never before to hear the announcement of the great Princess Euphemia's husband-to-be. Princess Euphemia, a girl of incredible grace and dignity, stood in her royal robes on the balcony. After admiring the delicate lacework of her bodice (*cough*), one might look to the two others standing beside her. An older man, with such great curls that he could only be the Emperor; and a woman with curls of fuchsia. She matched the princess in dignity, but overwhelmed her in strength: this was Viscount Cornelia.  
  
Princess Euphemia raised a hand. "My dear people," she said, "a month from now, Britannia will have its fourth anniversary of conquering Japan. On that sundown, I shall marry a gentleman who was once a Japanese citizen like yourselves." She paused, for dramatic effect, "But perhaps you will not find him common now. Would you like to meet him?"  
  
The answering yes boomed like thunder during a torrential rain.  
  
Below the balcony, there was a door. And if you looked to the left of this door, then you would see a vine. Following this vine to its highest point on the wall, you would be met with the beginning of a grand staircase, where a figure was beginning to descend.   
  
The crowd was quiet as they saw the figure, as if holding a breath near a priceless artwork.   
  
Finally, in the doorway, Suzaku appeared, handsome as he had never been before.  
  
"My people," Euphemia said, again pausing for effect, "the Prince Suzaku!!"   
  
Suzaku descended the stairs and began to move among the crowd, which began to prostrate themselves, the old tradition dispersing amongst them without a word. As they did so, Suzaku stopped, immobile amongst the reminder of his land's tradition, before the knightmarish Britannians had come. Suzaku's emptiness consumed him. For although the law of their oppressors gave Euphemia the right to choose her groom, he did not love her.   
  
A rock hit the side of his face, marring his handsomeness. "Traitor!" A woman screamed, "Traitor to the Japanese people!" Suzaku flinched.  
  
"Remove her!" Viscount Cornelia ordered, and guards scrambled amongst the bowing citizens to follow her command, kicking them thoughtlessly.  
  


  
  
And yet, despite Euphemia's reassurance that he would grow to love her (and despite her great beauty), the only joy Suzaku found was in his daily katas.  
  
One evening, Suzaku was traveling through the woods that surrounded his temple; there was a field that he liked to practice in more than any other. When he had reached the field, there were three figures who stood there.  
  
"A word, good sir?" A woman's voice said.   
  
There were two women and one man in the clearing. Beyond them, he could see the waters of Tokyo Bay. They were like no one he had ever seen before. Standing in the front was a busty woman with angelic blonde hair; she was Britannian and her name was Milly. Beside her was a half-Japanese, half-Britannian girl, erect and taut as a blade of steel. Her name was Kallen Kozuki. Dwarfing both women was a man, face gentle but body tense. His name was Ohgi.  
  
"We are but poor, lost circus performers. Is there a town nearby?" Milly asked, clasping her hands in front of her.  
  
Behind them shone the lights of Tokyo, so Suzaku eyed them skeptically. Still, perhaps they were confused. He walked passed them, pointing at the sparkling lights. "If you would just head towards those lights--"  
  
Milly nodded to Ohgi, who merely reached over and pinched a nerve of Suzaku's neck, and all that escaped from Suzaku's mouth was a grunt before he hit the ground.   
  
"Thank you," Milly said, "for now we know no one could hear you grunt. Hm, that doesn't phrase well, does it?"  
  


  
  
At a remote spot along the edge of Tokyo Bay, there was a sailboat moored. Kallen, the half-Britannian and half-Japanese, busied herself getting the boat ready. She looked up to watch Ohgi carry Suzaku, unconscious, onto the boat.   
  
Milly ripped some tiny pieces of fabric from an army jacket and tucked them along the hilt of Suzaku's blade. There was a tremendous skill at the manner in which her hands moved.  
  
"What are you ripping?" Kallen called.  
  
Without stopping, Milly answered, "It's the fabric from the uniform of an Army officer of the Chinese Federation."  
  
"Who's Chinese Federation?" Ohgi asked.  
  
"The country across the sea," Milly said, waving her hand about. "The sworn enemy of Britannia." She slapped the final piece of fabric on, and then sat back to admire her work.  
  
"Milly," Kallen said, delicately. "That wrapping looks entirely like a cat."  
  
Milly dropped the sword into the shallows of the bay. "Once they find the sword, the fabric will make the Princess suspect that the Chinese have abducted her love. When she finds his body dead on the Chinese frontier, her suspicions will be totally confirmed." She laughed.  
  
"You never said anything about killing anyone," Ohgi protested.  
  
Milly hopped on board the boat. "I hired you to help me start a war. That's a prestigious line of work with a long and glorious tradition."  
  
"I just don't think it's right," Ohgi said, "killing an innocent girl."  
  
Milly turned on Ohgi, raising her voice. "Am I going mad or did the word 'girl' escape your lips? That," she said, pointing at the still unconscious body, "is a boy. Obviously you were not hired for your brains, you oaf."  
  
"I agree with Ohgi," Kallen said, firmly.  
  
Amused, Milly said, "Oh! The half-breed has spoken. What happens to Suzaku is not truly your concern-- I will kill her." Her face twisted, anger coming into her words for the first time, "And remember this-- never forget this--" She pointed at Kallen, and then at Ohgi. "When I found you, you daft girl, you were so high that you couldn't buy Refrain. And you, you friendless, spineless, hopeless buffoon, did you want me to send you back to where you were, unemployed in the Shinjuku ghettos?"  
  
Milly glared at them, turning, and left them to stand at the front of the sailboat.  
  
Kallen nudged Ohgi with her shoulder, the man distressed about the insults that have been hurled at them. She casted off, whispering, "Don't worry about it. Milly just likes to fuss."  
  
"Fuss," Ohgi repeated, "I think she just likes to scream at us."  
  
Kallen shrugged. "She probably means no harm."  
  
"Enough of that," Milly ordered. As they sailed off, their voices faded into the distance.  
  
Faintly, Ohgi could be heard saying, "Do you think he likes peanuts?" (For all they had to eat on the boat were peanuts.)  
  


  
  
The sailboat had traveled far beyond its starting point, the lights of Japan having long disappearing at its back. Kallen was at the helm, while Ohgi stood near the body of prince, whose eyes were beginning to flutter. Milly sat motionless. The waves were higher, and they could see only by the slivers of moonlight that were creeping past the clouds.   
  
"We'll reach the Cliffs by dawn," Milly told Kallen, crossing her legs with a sigh. "Ah, I'm tired."  
  
Kallen nodded, glancing behind them at the dark waters.   
  
"Why are you doing that?" Milly asked.  
  
"Want to check that nobody's following us," She replied, glancing back again.  
  
"That would be inconceivable," Milly said.  
  
"Despite what you think," Suzaku said, sitting up now, "you will be caught. And when you are, the Princess will see you hanged."  
  
Milly turned a cold eye on the prince. "Of all the necks on this boat, Highness," she stood, "the one your should be worrying about is your own. But thanks for your concern." Glancing over at Kallen, who was still staring behind them. "Stop doing that." She said, half joking. "We can all relax! It's almost over~"  
  
"You're sure no one is following us?" Kallen said, skeptical.  
  
"As I told you," Milly said, "it would be totally, absolutely, and in all other ways, inconceivable. No one in the Chinese Federation knows what we've done. And no one in Japan could have gotten here so fast." She shrugged. "Why do you ask?"  
  
"No reason. It's only, I just looked behind us, and there's something out there."  
  
"What?" Milly asked, incredulous.   
  
The standing three whirled, twisting to stare back into the dark water. The moon had been covered by clouds, the previously comforting waves sounding ominous as they crash along the sides of the boat. They could see nothing, the sea running into the sky, both endless pools of darkness.   
  
Finally, the moon peeked out of the clouds to expose another sailboat, behind them. It had a black, billowing sail with purple and gold accents, the strange coloring picking up moonlight to shine like a beacon in the night. It was far but gaining quickly, infinitely larger in the moments where they register what it was.   
  
They stared at the other boat.   
  
"Well," Milly said, laughing uneasily, "It's probably just some local fisherman our for a pleasure cruise…at night…through eel-infested waters."  
  


  
  
They heard a splash, turning to see Suzaku diving into the water, beginning to swim away from their sailboat.   
  
Milly screamed, "Go in! Get after him!"  
  
"I don't swim." Kallen said flatly.  
  
Ohgi paused before saying, "I can only dog paddle."  
  
Milly sighed, "Fine! Veer left then. Left. Left!"  
  
Suzaku, still close to the boat, switched from a crawl to a breaststroke. Over the sound of the lapping waves, a new sound is coming from the sea. It is a high shrieking sound, like the sound of a strangled cat. He stops uncertainly, treading water.  
  
"Do you know what that sound is, Highness?" Milly asked, mocking, "Those are the Arthur Eels-- if you doubt me, just wait. They always grow louder when they're about to feed on human flesh."  
  
Suzaku continued to tread water, still remaining close to the boat. The shrieking sounds were getting louder and deeper, but Suzaku remained silent. (It's important at this point to confirm that Suzaku can indeed speak-- his silence is a choice, given the situation.)  
  
"If you swim back now, I promise, no harm will come to you." Milly said, "You won't get a similar offer from the Arthur Eels!"  
  
Suzaku remained in the water, even as the shrieking became louder. He didn't make a sound, staring into the water to see what enemy was coming, and something dark and gigantic swept past him: it felt like a cat's tongue. He was frightened, certainly, but if he could get past it, then--  
  
It appeared, in the water, rising to see what prey it was going to catch for a late snack. It was the darkest purple, with bright yellow eyes, and Suzaku opened his mouth to scream in a ironic parallel as its jaw opened, ready to consume--  
  
Until Ohgi slammed his hand into the Arthur Eel's eye, driving it off. He lifted Suzaku with the same arm, dropping the other male on the deck of their sailboat.   
  
"Put him down," Milly said, relieved. "Just put him down."  
  
Kallen called out, pointing behind them. "I think he's getting closer." And indeed the distant ship had grown larger in the distance.  
  
Milly, tying off Suzaku's hands, dismissed, "He's no concern of ours. Sail on!" Then she poked Suzaku's cheek, laughing.  
  
The ship began to move.  
  
"I suppose you think you're brave, don't you?" Milly asked, poking Suzaku again. "Staring the Arthur Eel in the eyes."  
  
"Only compared to some," Suzaku answered.  
  


  
  
At dawn, their sailboat was near enough to see the black sailboat. Even more odd than the coloring of the sail was the man sailing it: he wore a dark black cape with gold accents, a motif that was continued on the purple suit he had beneath it. The black cape was sewn such that it came to sharp peaks in the collar, the vibrant red of the underside perfectly framing the mask that the man wore. The mask, perhaps, was the oddest thing: for it was black and purple and spiky, but without eye holes.  
  
"Look." Kallen said, staring at the dark boat, "He's right on top of us. I wonder if he's using the same wind we are."  
  
"Whoever he is, he's too late--" Milly said, "See? The Cliffs of Lloyd."  
  
The cliffs rose straight up from the water, impossibly high and seemingly insurmountable. (Incidentally, the cliffs were named the Cliffs of Lloyd for the insane man who had cut them into the Earth; such cliffs do not occur naturally, you see.)  
  
The two boats raced for the cliffs, but their lead was too great, and they easily reached the cliffs before the man in black was capable of catching them.   
  
With the man in black still pursuing them, Milly rushed, "Hurry up! Move the thing! Um, not, not that thing, the other thing! Move it!" She stared at the ship, coming towards them. "We're safe enough. Only Ohgi is strong enough to go up our way-- that man will have to sail around for hours until he can find a harbor." She laughed.   
  
While she was monologuing, Kallen had been quickly gathering their supplies. She finished tying up the boat and watched the distant boat. When Ohgi reached up for the cliff face, Kallen placed a thick rope into his hand. With a great swing, he threw the rope to the top. Kallen placed the harness around Ohgi, lifting Suzaku and Milly into the harness before following herself. They dangled from Ohgi like children, but he moved easily, ascending the rope.  
  
The man in black, sailing towards the Cliff of Lloyd, watched as Ohgi rose swiftly against the cliffs.   
  
"Excuse me," Suzaku said, "aren't you afraid of heights?"  
  
"What a joke," Milly responded, "what kind of giant is afraid of heights?"  
  
"Well, actually, I was asking you," Suzaku said, staring pointedly at her fingers gripped in his hakama.   
  
"Quiet," Kallen said, still watching the black boat. "All right, Ohgi?"  
  
Ohgi grunted, but he was otherwise silent. (It was only natural for such a thing, because he was the only one in the group climbing and--) He was already a third up the face of the cliff.  
  
At the bottom of the cliff, the man in black leapt from his ship to their abandoned one. He tugged on the rope, beginning to pull himself up it. At first he was flying up the rope, hand over hand like lightning, but soon he grew weak and dropped back into the boat.   
  
"What a weakling," Kallen said, staring down the cliff face.  
  
The man in black leapt back into the black boat, and Kallen watched as he retrieved a large black tube from the boat's innards. He pointed the tube at the top of the cliff, and there was suddenly a large sound, like something popping. Kallen tracked the movement of-- a rope?-- to the top of the cliff, where it secured itself. The man in black twisted the tube again, and it became seat-like. He stood on it, and the rope began to shorten, pulling the man up the cliff.  
  
"He's gaining on us!" Kallen warned.  
  
"Inconceivable!" Milly said. She prodded the back of Ohgi's neck. "Faster!"  
  
From a distance, the black man was quickly gaining on Ohgi with the help of his machine.  
  
"Faster!" Milly shrieked.  
  
"I thought I was going faster." Ohgi muttered, sweat dripping down his back.  
  
"You were supposed to be this colossus," Milly wailed, "this, great, legendary beast. But he's gaining on us."  
  
"Well," Ohgi said, his voice strained, "I am carrying three people. And he's not really even carrying himself." He took a moment to peek at the man in black. "Well, he's using his arms to hold himself in place, I guess--"  
  
"I'm not looking for excuses!" Milly shook her head. "I'm just going to have to find myself a new behemoth."  
  
"Don't say that, Milly," Ohgi said, "Please." But there had been a great weight placed on him, and he slowed. As such, the lead on the man in black decreased, and although they could see the top, he might catch them.   
  
"Ohgi," Milly said, staring at the man in black as he came ever closer, "Did I make it clear that your job is at stake?"  
  
The man in black continued to gain on them, but Ohgi had reached the top, pulling the four of them to the top of the cliff. Milly leapt from the harness, taking out a knife to cut at the man in black's rope. Kallen helped the still bound Suzaku to stand. Ohgi kneeled, panting, and looked around. In the distance there are some stone ruins, which look like the remnants of an old Chinese fort.   
  
The machine continued to pull the man in black up, its pace dazzling, until Milly sliced through the last of the rope. She watched the black machine hit the water, and Ohgi joined the other three at the edge of the cliff to stare downwards.  
  
"He has good luck," Ohgi commented, staring at the man in black, now dangling from their rope. He had perhaps fifty feet to go until the top of the cliff.  
  
"He didn't fall?" Milly said, "Inconceivable!"  
  
Kallen muttered, "I don't think that word means what you think it does." When she glanced down, she called out, "He's climbing!"   
  
The man in black was indeed climbing, very slowly: perhaps a inch at a time.   
  
"Well, he's obviously seen us with the Prince," Milly said, "so he has to die. Ohgi, carry the Prince. Kallen, take care of it here. We'll head straight to the Chinese frontier. Catch up when the man in black is dead. If he falls, fine. If not, the sword." She gestured to the blade Kallen had at her side.   
  
Kallen nodded. "I want to duel him left-handed," she said. "It'll be over too fast if I use my right."  
  
"You do know that we're in a hurry, right?" Milly said, before sighing. She turned, leading Ohgi, and called, "Fine! Have it your way."  
  
Kallen eyed the man in black, who was still ascending slowly.   
  
"Be careful," Ohgi warned her, "people in masks cannot be trusted."  
  
"Ohgi!" Milly called, and Ohgi hurried after her, Suzaku slung over his back.  
  
After watching the others depart, Kallen peered over the cliffs. She watched a moment, then sighed at his slow progress. She paced, twisting her hands, and then drew her sword and practiced a few sword skills. She was a taut and determined woman, and was never good at waiting around.  
  


  
  
The man in black continued climbing, ever slowly. Kallen watched, growing more impatient.  
  


  
  
Kallen walked away from the cliff before returning, sitting down to talk. It's instant death if the man falls, but Kallen doubts he will. (It was the meeting of two heroes, although for what great destiny it was still unknown.) The man in black only had about ten feet left to go.  
  
"Hello," Kallen called down. She wasn't sure if he'd respond, but it beat sitting around.   
  
The man in black grunted.   
  
"Slow going." Kallen commented.  
  
The man in black sighed. "Look, I don't mean to be rude, but this is hard. I'd appreciate it if you didn't distract me."   
  
Kallen sighed. "Sorry."  
  
"Thank you," the man in black responded.  
  
Waiting again, Kallen stepped away from the cliff, drawing her sword. She swung it, thrusting a few times, and then resheathed it. She peeked over the cliff again. "I don't suppose you could hurry this up?"  
  
The man in black breathed out harshly. "If you're in such a great hurry, you are welcome to assist me."  
  
"I could," Kallen said, drawing out the sound, "but you shouldn't accept my help, since I am here only to kill you." She tapped her sword against the cliff.   
  
"Well," the man in black responded, "that does make me less inclined to trust you." He reached up, pulling himself a few more inches closer to the top.  
  
"I promise," Kallen said solemnly, "that I will not kill you until you reach the top." (This was very honorable of her indeed, since she could have easily cut the rope that the man was clinging to.)  
  
"That's very," a grunt, "nice of you."  
  
"I hate waiting," She reminded him, "but I will give you my word as a Japanese citizen."  
  
"That's pretty good," the man admitted; he had stopped climbing, panting heavily. "Pull up the rope."  
  
Kallen reached the rope, tugging on it once before pulling it upwards, forcing her body away from the cliff edge. With great strength, she pulled the man in black to the top of the cliff. He rose steadily with her assistance, and then grasped the edge, crawling to safety.   
  
"Thank you," the man in black said, after a moment, he sprawled out on the cliff, breathing heavily.  
  
"We'll wait until you're ready," Kallen decided, staring at his heaving form. "Or at least until you stop looking like you're going to throw up."  
  
"Again," he wheezed, "thank you." After a moment of twisting, he reached down to pull off his boots, where a great number of rocks tumbled out. Despite his heavy breathing, however, the mask remained on. Kallen stared at the mask.   
  
"I don't mean to pry," Kallen said, "but I don't suppose you happen to have fuchsia hair?"  
  
The man in black glanced upwards at her. "Do you always begin conversations this way?" Through the mask, Kallen imagined he looked baffled.   
  
"My brother," Kallen said, "was slaughtered by a fuchsia-haired swordsman. He was a great swordmaker, my brother. And when the fuchsia-haired swordsman appeared and requested a special sword, my brother took the job. He slaved a year before he was done." Kallen handed her sword to the man in black. "It is the Guren."  
  
The man in black took the sword. "It must be a very good sword." (Although the man in black knew near nothing about swords, he felt that a sword created by a great swordmaker should be a great sword.)  
  
"The fuschia-haired swordsman returned and demanded it, but at one-tenth the promised price. My brother refused," she said, "and without a word, the fuschia-haired swordsman slashed him through the heart. I loved my brother, so, naturally, I challenged his murdered to a duel." Kallen grit her teeth, furious. "But I failed! The six-fingered man did leave me alive with the Guren. Instead, he left me with these." Kallen gestured to two scars on her cheeks, mirrored and delicate.   
  
"How old were you?" The man in black asked, still panting.   
  
"I was eleven years old. When I was strong enough, I dedicated my life to the study of kendo. So the next time we meet, I will not fail. I will go up to the fuchsia-haired swordsman and say, 'Hello, my name is Kallen Kozuki. You killed my brother. Prepare to die.'"  
  
"You've done nothing but study swordplay?"  
  
"More pursuit than study, lately. Because I cannot find her."  
  
"Wait, her?" The man in black said.  
  
"Yes, her." Kallen said impatiently. (For women were called swordsman, too, and how should she have known that the man in black was truly a man?) "But it's been ten years now. I am starting to lose confidence. Now I've been working for Milly to pay this bills; there's little money in revenge."  
  
The man in black handed back the Guren, beginning to rise from the ground. "Well, I certainly hope you find him, someday." He stretched his shoulders out, still sore.  
  
"You are ready, then?" Kallen asked.  
  
"Whether I am or not," he panted, "you've been more than fair."  
  
"You seem like a decent fellow," Kallen said. "I hate to kill you."  
  
"You seem a decent fellow," he said in turn, "I hate to die." He drew a black gun out of his cape.  
  
"Begin!" Kallen called, and she swung her sword up.  
  
This was not an ordinary duel: it was not of two of equal skill, nor was it of two of a great chasm between them. This was, plainly, one brilliant swordsman and one man who called his gun Gawain. (There was no "en garde" garbage, as this was not a dual of two swordsman at all.)  
  
Kallen feinted here, and there, far from the man in black, and each time he raised his gun, as though to block it. They circled, tension pouring from their rigid bodies, until Kallen struck, the man in black barely able to push it off with his gun. He retreated, moving up a rocky incline.  
  
"Some knight in shining armor!" Kallen said, "You're barely a scoundrel!"  
  
"If being powerless is evil," the man in black retorted, "is having power justice? Is revenge evil?"  
  
"Yes," Kallen said, "but I have already committed myself to hell." She raised her sword again, and sliced at him.  
  
"Then, in my path to hell, I shall have you accompany me!" The man in black declared. He fired a shot, deflecting her blade, and then parried it with the edge of his gun. He swept another strike to the side, firing perfectly to push her sword further away.  
  
"That's very impressive," Kallen said, "except you missed one detail." She turned, passing her sword from her left hand to her right. "I'm not left-handed."   
  
The man in black groaned.  
  
Kallen paused. "All right so far?"  
  
"You're very good," he said. "Far too good with your non-dominant hand."  
  
"Well, I ought to be, after ten years." Kallen replied. She brought up her sword, rushing him, and this time was gratified to slice through the shoulder of his cape. (There was no blood, as she had only hit fabric.) She pinned him against a stone face in the terrain, smiling.  
  
"There's something," the man in black panted, "that I ought to tell you."  
  
"Tell me," Kallen said.   
  
"I'm really more of a tactician than a fighter," the man said, and fired two shots into the cliff face above them.   
  
Rocks broke free, rushing towards Kallen. By the time she had jumped free, he had fired a shot into the unsteady ground beneath her, and she hit the ground. Kallen pushed herself up, drawing her sword again, but the man in black had gained control of the fight. With another shot, he threw the sword out of her hand. Guren clattered against the steps of the ruins, which they had approached throughout their fight.   
  
Kallen retreated into the nearby ruins, scrambling to grab her sword. She grabbed the edge of a moss-covered bar, swinging, and landed easily on a higher section of the ruins.   
  
The man in black watched her, then drew his gun and fired three shots into the ruins beneath her. They crumbled, and Kallen cursed as she hit the rubble.   
  
"Who are you?!" She called out.  
  
The man in black shrugged. "No one of consequence." He walked slowly up the stairs of the ruins. The cape span out around him, emphasizing his every movement.  
  
"I must know," Kallen said.   
  
"Get used to disappointment," he responded.  
  
She nodded. "Okay." Kallen, quick as lightning, drew her sword and launched herself out of the rubble. Her sword caught on the man's gun again and again; when he sidestepped and fired, she dodged a new wave of rubble. Finally, she clenched the hilt of her blade, staring at him.   
  
The man in black had his gun pointed to her feet. When Kallen followed its trajectory, her landing was fragile: gunshots littered the rock, shattering its once capable stability.   
  
One more shot would have her falling into the levels below. She dropped to her knees, bowing her head. "Kill me quickly," she ordered.   
  
"I would as soon destroy a good sword as a artisan like yourself. However, since I can't have you following me, either--" He brought the butt of his gun down on her head. Kallen pitched forward, unconscious. "Please understand," he huffed as he pulled her away from the crumbling ruins onto more stable stone, "that," he grunted, "I hold you in the highest regard."  
  
He looked over her once, nodded, and then set off after the Prince and his kidnappers. (Some readers argue at this point that his pace was swift, but in reality it was very slow, his arms and legs now aching from physical exertion.)  
  


  
  
Later that morning, Milly was stretching as she yawned. She looked around them for something of interest when--  
  
"Inconceivable!" Milly said, staring at the narrow mountain path below them. The man in black was moving slowly, but steadily approaching them. Ohgi, beside her, carried Suzaku over his shoulder.   
  
"Give him to me," Milly said. She grabbed Suzaku, dipping under his weight until they crumpled to the floor.  
  
"I can walk," Suzaku offered. "I'd rather not be dragged, thanks."  
  
"Deal," Milly said, smiling. "Ohgi, catch up with us quickly." She wrapped her hand in Suzaku's hakama, pulling him forward. He followed her steadily, watching her heel-clad feet scramble to find purchase on the rough terrain.   
  
"Wait," Ohgi said, panicking, "What do I do?"  
  
"Finish him!" Milly called backwards. "Your way!"  
  
"Oh, okay." Ohgi said, mostly to himself. "My way. Okay. Which way is my way?"  
  
Milly stopped, and Suzaku began to count the blisters he could see on her feet. "Those rocks! Pick up one of those rocks, get behind a boulder, and when the man in black comes, hit him over the head with it!" She continued forward, Suzaku now following without her pull.   
  
"Well," Ohgi muttered, "my way's not very sportsmanlike." Nevertheless, he picked up a rock and obligingly hid behind a large boulder.   
  


  
  
The man in black ran up the mountain trail. There was a bend in the trail, where he paused. If he were to be ambushed, this was where it would happen. He tossed a small stick towards the bend.  
  
Immediately, a large rock flew past his head, crashing against a nearby boulder. The man in black paused, staring at the dusty remains, before peeking back at the bend, where Ohgi had appeared.   
  
Ohgi picked up another rock. "I did that on purpose. I don't miss."   
  
"I believe you," the man in black returned his eyes to the crumbling rock. "So, what happens now?"  
  
Ohgi nodded. "We're going to face each other. Sportsmanlike. No tricks, no weapons. Skill and skill only."  
  
"You mean," the other man said slowly, "that you'll put down your rock, and I'll put down my gun, and we'll try…try to kill each other like civilized people?"  
  
Ohgi smiled, gently adding, "Or I could kill you now." He prepared to throw the rock in his hand, but the man in black shook his head, throwing his gun to the side.   
  
"I think the odds are a little in your favor at hand fighting." (And indeed they were: Ohgi imagined that the man in black's thigh was smaller than his forearm.)  
  
"It's not my fault being the biggest and strongest," Ohgi said, a tad guiltily, "I don't even exercise." He threw the rock against a near boulder, where it exploded into tiny particles.  
  
"Okay," the man in black said, staring at the dust. He sounded a bit strange, like someone had begun to choke him. There was a moment's pause. "I'm just going to start, then."  
  
"Please," Ohgi said.   
  
The man in black dove at Ohgi's chest, slamming his thin limbs into many parts of Ohgi's body and jabbing him with pointy elbows. He kicked off Ohgi's chest, and hit the ground, panting.   
  
Ohgi stood there, staring at the nice trees around them. Mountains sure were nice.  
  
"Look," the man in black said, "are you just messing with me, or what?"  
  
"I just want you to feel like you're doing well," Ohgi admitted, "I hate for people to die embarrassed." He smiled, and then jumped forward, reaching for the man in black, who dove between his legs. "You're quick," he complimented.  
  
"Yes, very good."   
  
"Why do you wear a mask? Were you burned by acid, or something like that?" He rolled his shoulders, getting ready for another attack.   
  
"No," the man in black said, edging towards a larger boulder, "it's just that they're really very comfortable. I think everyone will be wearing them in the future." He finished climbing atop the boulder, a strange exercise involving many flailing limbs.  
  
Ohgi frowned. "If you hide behind masks, you are afraid that others will find out who you really are." Ohgi ran, much faster than the last time. The man in black slipped past him, and Ohgi followed this time; however, the man in black didn't aim for the ground and followed Ohgi's momentum, arms winding around the larger man's neck to lock in place and squeeze. He pulled his arms in as much as he could.  
  
"I just figured out why you give me so much trouble," Ohgi said, turning so that his back (and thus the man in black) were close to the boulder. He ran across the narrow path, turning at the last instant so that the man in black took the fully weight of his body and his charge.   
  
The man in black coughed, arms loosening, until he jabbed Ohgi in the neck with a tiny needle he had concealed in his sleeve. He tried to keep his grip on the larger man. "Why is that, do you think?"   
  
Ohgi swayed, his voice beginning to be strained, "Well, I haven't fought just one person for so long. I've been specializing in groups, you see." He fell to one knee, and the man in black released his neck.   
  
"Why should that make a difference?"   
  
"Well…" Ohgi said, "you see, there's a different type of fighting…style…" He struggled to stand, halfway off the ground before he fell back to his knees. He gasped, clawing at an arm around his throat that was no longer present, and then hit the ground, lying still.  
  
The man in black sighed, pushing Ohgi over onto his side. He put his ear to the large man's heart, relieved when the pounding was steady at his ear. Pulling another needle out of his belt, he injected Ohgi with the antidote to the swelling agent.   
  
"I don't envy you the headache you will have when you awake. But," he said, "in the meantime, rest well…and dream of silver-haired women." He picked up his gun and stumbled down the mountain path, his gait awkward and stiff.   
  


  
  
Viscount Cornelia looked at the deep footprint in the sand, turning back to look at Princess Euphemia. Her younger sister, as well as the six armed men who accompanied them, were mounted; in front was her own mount, Guilford, who stood riderless. Cornelia walked all over the rocky ground, eyes flashing over the landscape.   
  
"There was a strange duel," Cornelia said, finally. "One master of the blade and one enemy."  
  
"How did it end?" Euphemia asked, leaning forward on her saddle.  
  
Cornelia stared at the rubble where Kallen had lain. "The loser ran off alone," and then she pointed towards the combination of large footprints and footprints that looked like the owner had segmented feet. If Cornelia hadn't known better, she would say that they were heels, but no one (woman or man) was senseless enough to wear such things in this terrain. "The winner followed these footprints towards the Chinese Federation."  
  
"Shall we track them both?"  
  
"The loser is nothing," Cornelia said, her tone gentler than the words she spoke. Then, to the armed warriors, she announced, "Clearly this was a plot of the Chinese Federation. Prepare for the battles that may lie ahead." She vaulted onto Guilford quickly.  
  
Euphemia drew close to her. "Could this be a trap?" Her voice was worried, no doubt afraid for the life of her husband-to-be.  
  
"I always think it could be a trap, Euphie." Cornelia said. "That's why I am alive." She tightened her grip on the reins and galloped off.  
  


  
  
The man in black reached the top of the mountain, staring at long last at the Prince Suzaku.  
  
Who was blinded and had a knife to his throat, courtesy of Milly. A picnic was spread out across the ground: two goblets and a small wine container, cheese, apples, and napkins folded into cats. Behind the picnic, the view was phenomenal, swooping down all the way to the sea.   
  
The two studied one another. "So, it is down to you," Milly said, "And it is down to me."  
  
The man in black approached.  
  
"If you wish him dead," Milly warned, "by all means, keep moving forward." She pushed the knife closer to Suzaku's bare throat.  
  
"Let me explain--"  
  
"--there's nothing to explain! You see~ you're a bad man, trying to kidnap what I've rightfully stolen."  
  
"Perhaps, an arrangement can be reached," the man in black said slowly.  
  
"There will be no arrangement; you're killing him!" Milly swiped her hostage's neck with the blade.   
  
Suzaku remained silent.   
  
Milly jabbed him with her finger. "You really should gasp in pain, dear."  
  
"It's not going to change anything," Suzaku argued, "he clearly knows that my life is in danger."  
  
At the last two words, the man in black stopped his subtle approach of the pair. "But if there can be no arrangement, then we are at an impasse."  
  
"I'm afraid so," Milly agreed, "I can't compete with you physically-- just look at these blisters from my heels. And you're no match for my brains." (Some note that Milly could have competed with the man in black physically: she was half a head taller and a good deal more muscular. She was, however, under the misunderstanding that the man in black had defeated her two companions and as such should be forgiven.)  
  
"You're that smart?" The man in black questioned, another queer tone coming into his voice. It sounded a bit like muffled laughter, and Milly frowned.  
  
"Let me put it this way," she said, "have you heard of Plato, Aristotle, Socrates?"  
  
"Certainly."  
  
"Morons~"  
  
"Really?" The man in black said, skeptical now, "In that case, I challenge you to a battle of wits."  
  
"For the Prince?" The man in black nodded. "To the death?" Another nod. "Then I accept."  
  
"Good," the man in black said, "then pour the wine."   
  
As Milly filled the two wine goblets with a dark red liquid, the man in black withdrew a small packet from his clothing, handing it to Milly. "Inhale this, but do not touch." He warned.  
  
"I smell not--" Milly passed out.  
  
"Well," the man in black said, "very good." He stepped past Milly's prone body to undo the blindfold and bindings from Suzaku, only to find the long dagger at his throat.  
  
"Who are you?" Suzaku questioned. He held the tip of the dagger to the man in black's throat as he glanced around them, eyes lingering briefly on the unconscious Milly and the full goblets.  
  
"I am no one to be trifled with," the man in black responded, "and that is all you ever need to know." He pointed Suzaku off the mountain path and onto untravelled dirt. He stepped away from the dagger, leading the way.  
  
Suzaku glanced backwards again. "Surely you don't consider that a game of wit?"  
  
The man in black shrugged. "If she had been a more cautious woman, she would have asked what the powder was."  
  
"And what would you have told her?" Suzaku asked.  
  
"One of the more deadly poisons to man; it is odorless, tasteless, and dissolves instantly in liquid." The man in black continued through the foliage. "I would have poured it into one of the goblets, placed one in front of me and one her. And had her pick one to drink."  
  
"You would have placed your life on that game?"   
  
"I have always gambled," the man in black said, "and I will always continue to do so. In any case, I would have poisoned both glasses." He raised an arm. "I have the antidote in a needle in my sleeve; it wouldn't have been very difficult."  
  
"That's not very honorable." Suzaku retorted.  
  
"Well," the man in black responded, "When will a war end? When someone wins. No one ever said that honor had anything to do with it." He took off, dragging Suzaku behind him.  
  


  
  
At the bend in the mountain pass, Cornelia kneeled, rubbing a rough sand through her fingers. "Someone has beaten a giant!" She declared.  
  
Euphemia's lips flattened. "If Suzaku dies," she vowed, "there will be great suffering in the Chinese Federation."  
  
They galloped off.  
  


  
  
The pair of the Prince and the man in black come into view, their positions switched: Suzaku was dragging the man in black, who stumbled and panted in exhaustion. Finally, he stopped, watching his companion lean against a nearby boulder, gasping for air.  
  
"Catch your breath," Suzaku said. "What kind of hero are you supposed to be?"  
  
"Well," the man in black wheezed, "what will I get for you?"  
  
"Whatever you ask for ransom, most likely," Suzaku said. "You'll get whatever you want, I promise."  
  
The man in black laughed, the sound strange through his mask. "And what is that worth, the promise of a traitor? You're very funny, highness."  
  
"I was giving you a chance. No matter where you take me, there is a hunter beside Princess Euphemia. There is no greater hunter than Viscount Cornelia: she could track a falcon on a cloudy day. And Princess Euphemia will make sure she finds you."  
  
"You think your dearest love will save you?"  
  
"I never said she was my dearest love," Suzaku snapped. "But yes, she will save me. That I know."  
  
The man in black cocked his head. "You admit to me that you do not love your fiancé?"  
  
"She knows that I don't love her." Suzaku drew his knife, pointing at the other male. "But do not mistake me: I have loved more deeply than a killer like you could ever dream."  
  
The man in black laughed deeply, scornful. He drew his gun, firing one shot past Suzaku's head before pointing it at Suzaku. "This is a warning, Highness. For where I come from, there are penalties when a man lies."  
  


  
  
Cornelia knelt by Milly's body. "Dead! About one hour." She called backwards.  
  
Further up, Euphemia was gesturing to the trail ahead. "Those are Suzaku's footprints. He was alive. If he is otherwise when we find him, I shall be very put out."  
  
They returned to their horses and charged off.  
  


  
  
Now at the edge of a sheer ravine, the man in black was walking with Suzaku. Below, the floor of the ravine was flat, but there was a steep drop if they wished to go that way. (Some argue that these were the Ravines of Lloyd, but there has been no historical fact to back this up, and as such it is irrelevant to the narrative.)  
  
"Rest, Highness."   
  
"I rather think," Suzaku quipped, "that you need the rest more than I." And it was true: while Suzaku was still ready for another few miles of trail, the man in black was breathing heavily. They stopped nevertheless.  
  
After a pause, Suzaku began staring at the man in black.  
  
Suzaku announced, "I know who you are--your cruelty reveals everything." When he was met with silence, Suzaku continued, "You're the Dread Pirate Zero; admit it."  
  
The man in black bowed. "With pride. What can I do for you?"  
  
"You can stand still while I cut you into a thousand pieces?" Suzaku offered.  
  
"Hardly kind," the man in black said. "Why loose your venom on me?"  
  
Suzaku stabbed a nearby blade of grass. He said, quietly, "You killed my love."  
  
The man in black replied, "It's possible." He spread his arms, the cape flaring behind him. "I kill a lot of people. Who was this love of yours? Another princess? A queen? Perhaps someone rich and ugly?"  
  
"No," Suzaku whispered, "A shrine boy. Poor and weak. Poor and weak and perfect, with eyes like violets after rain." His voice cracked, and for a moment it seemed that he would cry. "On the seas, your ship attacked, and everyone knows," his voice became high, and mocking, "that the Dread Pirate Zero never takes prisoners."   
  
"I can't afford to make exceptions," the man in black said awkwardly, "If word leaked out that a pirate had gone soft, then there is disobedience, and then you suddenly must work, work, work, all the time."  
  
"You mock me!" Suzaku said, pulling his blade up from the dirt. He clenched his fingers around the handle.  
  
"Life is pain, Highness. Anyone who says differently is lying." He sighed. "I think I remember this shrine boy of yours. This would have been what, five years ago?"  
  
Suzaku nodded, his grip tightening.  
  
"Does it bother you to hear?"  
  
"Nothing," Suzaku bit out, "you can say will upset me."  
  
"He died well, if that pleases you. No attempts to bribe or blubber. He simply said, 'Please. Please, I need to live.' It was the 'please' that caught my attention, you know."   
  
Suzaku laughed, bitter. "He never did get better at Japanese."  
  
The man in black looked across the ravine. "I asked him what was so important, that he would beg a pirate. And he said, 'True love,' and he talked about a man of incredible handsomeness and faithfulness. I can only assume he meant you." He imitated Suzaku's laugh. "You should thank me for destroying him before he found our what you really are."  
  
"And what am I?" Suzaku said, raising the blade now.  
  
"Faithfulness, he talked of," the man in black replied, "Your enduring faithfulness. But tell me: how long did it take you? Once you knew he was dead, did you get engaged to your Princess that same hour, or did you wait for a week out of respect for the dead?"  
  
"You mock me," Suzaku snarled, "but continue no more: I died that day!"  
  
The man in the black turned towards him, and then away, attention caught by a dust cloud heralding the approach of Euphemia's party. The other man's attention diverted, Suzaku stabbed the mask, cracking it; and in his surprise, the man in black tumbled over the side of the ravine.   
  
"You can die, too, for all I care!" He shouted.  
  
The man in black fell, tumbling and rolling, crashing downwards until he lay at the flat floor of the ravine. Suzaku stared at the man's body, waiting for something he knew not. Finally, from far below, the wind carried a sound, a word.  
  
"Yes."  
  
Suzaku gasped. "Oh, Lelouch; what have I done?" He dove for the ravine, tucking his arms and legs in so that he rolled in a more organized fashion than his love's uncontrolled flailing. As he rolled, he thought of the man in black: his Lelouch's ineptitude for physical tasks, his stubbornness-- why had Suzaku not seen it sooner?  
  


  
  
"Gone!" Cornelia snarled, standing at the edge of the ravine.   
  
"He must have seen us closing in." Euphemia offered.  
  
"Well, it would account for his panic." Cornelia said. "For he has taken your husband and headed dead into the fire swamp."  
  
Euphemia gasped.  
  


  
  
Suzaku crawled towards the man in black, wincing at the pain his his shoulders. He pulled the cracked mask off of Lelouch's head, whispering, "Can you move at all?"  
  
"I can," Lelouch said. "Can you?"  
  
"Move? You're alive. If you want, I can fly." Suzaku hummed, pulling an arm around Lelouch.  
  
"I told you I would come for you. Why didn't you wait for me?" Lelouch asked.  
  
"Well," Suzaku said, a tad awkwardly, "you were dead."  
  
"Death cannot stop true love. All it can do is delay it for a while."   
  
"I won't doubt you again," Suzaku said, pressing a kiss to Lelouch's lips. "Never again."  
  
"There will never be a need."  
  
Suzaku kissed him again, and Lelouch responded. Their kisses were kisses of tenderness, loving and gentle; each press of lips was like the exhale of a long breath. Lelouch licked at Suzaku's lips gently, and Suzaku accepted his tongue, suckling on it teasingly.   
  
After a moment, Lelouch said, "Wait- wait, we were being pursued."  
  
Drawing him in for another kiss, Suzaku pulled them to their feet. "Then we need only to head to the Fire Swamp." He took Lelouch's hand, and together they raced long the floor of the ravine.   
  
Lelouch glanced up, jarring to a stop as he saw Euphemia and her group, staring at them atop the cliff. He laughed, "Ha! Your darling fiancé is too late. A few more steps, and we'll be safe in the Fire Swamp."  
  
Suzaku said, "We might not survive." He eyed the entrance.  
  
"Nonsense," Lelouch said.   
  
"Well, I am only saying that because no one ever has," Suzaku conceded.  
  
They ran into the Fire Swamp, leaving their pursuers behind.  
  


  
  
Inside the fire swamp, huge trees blocked the sun. The air smelled like sulfur, moist enough to seep into the skin, and Suzaku drew his blade, carefully watching their surroundings.  
  
"It's not that bad," Suzaku admitted after a minute. "I'm not saying I'd like to build a summer home here, but the trees are actually quite lovely."   
  
Said trees loomed ominously over them, striped black-green and thick enough around the trunk that it would take seven people to ring around it.   
  
A small popping sound, and then a giant spurt of flame leapt up, missing Suzaku entirely. When he turned, Lelouch's cape was on fire, changing the deep black of the cape to a more rusty, burnt color.   
  
Suzaku pushed Lelouch down, gathering the cape to beat out the flame. It kept burning, and Suzaku kept smothering it until the fire had disappeared, leaving only the lingering warmth and burnt clothing.  
  
"Well now," Suzaku said, "that was an adventure." He looked over Lelouch. "Singed a bit, were you?"  
  
Shaking his head (because he hadn't been), Lelouch replied, "You?"  
  
Shaking his head (although he had been), Suzaku pulled Lelouch again to his feet.  
  
A pop--  
  
And Suzaku yanked Lelouch to safety as another burst of flame erupted from the cracked ground. They froze for an instant, holding each other.  
  
"Well, one thing I will say," Suzaku tugged Lelouch along, "the Fire Swamp certainly does keep you on your toes."   
  
They moved slowly through the Fire Swamp, dodging bursts of flame at irregular intervals.   
  
"This will all soon be but a happy memory," Lelouch said pleasantly, still eying the ground, "because Zero's ship "The Black Knights" is anchored at the far end. And I, as you know, am Zero."  
  
Suzaku pulled Lelouch away from another burst of flame. "But how is that possible, since he's bee marauding twenty years and you only left me five years ago?"  
  
"I myself am often surprised at life's little quirks," Lelouch agreed. He wrapped his arms around Suzaku's shoulders as the stronger male picked him up, moving him out of danger before putting him down again. "You see, what I told you before about saying 'please' was true. It intrigued Zero, as did my description of your handsomeness." As they walked, they encountered hideous vines, looking like black-green ooze from the trees. As Suzaku sliced them away from their path, Lelouch continued without a beat. "Finally, Zero said something. He said, 'All right, Lelouch, I've never had a valet. You can try it for tonight. I'll most likely kill you in the morning.' And he said that for three years."  
  
"He told you he'd kill you for three years?" Suzaku said, arm tightening around Lelouch's waist.  
  
"Yes. 'Good night, Lelouch. Good work today. Get some sleep, I'll most likely kill you in the morning.' It was a great time for me. I was learning to play chess, to strategize, anything anyone would teach me. And Zero and I eventually became friends. And then it happened."  
  
"What-- oh wait, hold on." Suzaku picked Lelouch up, carrying him over some swamp water bridged by a single tree branch. "Go on," he prompted.  
  
"Well," Lelouch said, "Zero had grown so rich that he wanted to retire. So he took me to his cabin and told me his secret. 'I am not the Dread Pirate Zero,' he said. 'My name is Jeremiah. I inherited this chip from the previous Dread Pirate Zero, just as you will inherit it from me. The woman I inherited it from was not the real Dread Pirate Zero, either. Her name was Marianne. The real Zero has been retired fifteen years and is living like a king in Britannia.' Then he explained the name was key to inspiring fear. You see, no one would surrender to the Dread Pirate Lelouch."  
  
Suzaku, having crossed the pond safely, placed Lelouch back on his feet. "I would," he said softly, and Lelouch swatted him with a smile.  
  
"So we sailed ashore, and took an an entirely new crew," Lelouch continued, "and Jeremiah stayed aboard for awhile as my first mate, all the time calling me Zero. Once the crew believed, he left the ship, and I have been Zero ever since."   
  
"And now that we're together?" Suzaku tucked Lelouch's head briefly. "Will you continue to sail?"  
  
"No, now that we're together, I shall retire and hand the name over to someone else." He cut off abruptly at the ground he stepped on gave way; it was a great patch of Lightning Sand, and he sank into it, calling for Suzaku before he disappeared beneath the fine dust.  
  
Suzaku whirled, hacking at a vine: one end remained attached to a great tree. He grabbed the vine, discarding his long knife, and dove into the Lightning Sand. A cloud of white powder erupted, and for a moment nothing could be seen. A breath, and the Lightning Sand continued to shift, lethal.  
  
Finally, a strange panting sound came, and a very large A.O.U.S. appeared. The A.O.U.S.--an Arthur of Unusual Size -- was a feline, probably no more than eighty pounds of bone and power. It sniffed around for a bit, and then, as quickly as it had arrived, left. (The A.O.U.S. was unrelated to the Arthur Eels, incidentally.)  
  
A hand burst through the Lightning Sand, Suzaku gripping onto the vine for dear life; Lelouch was across his shoulders, and they panted, deprived of air, even as Suzaku brought them to the edge of the sand pit. Their faces were caked in the white powder, and you would have to look very closely at them indeed to see their beauty.   
  
An A.O.U.S. watched them from high above.  
  
Suzaku pulled them out of the sand pit, placing Lelouch against a tree as he sputtered and choked. He knelt, brushing sand from Lelouch's face, and looked around.  
  
An A.O.U.S. watched from a nearby branch, staring directly at Suzaku. He watched it carefully, glancing down to clean Lelouch's face. When he peered up again, there were two A.O.U.S.s. They have climbed closer, staring with bright yellow eyes.   
  
"We may never escape from here," Suzaku said. "This place is as good as any to die."  
  
Lelouch followed his line of sight. "No," he responded, "no, we have already succeeded." Lelouch pulled Suzaku up, making him walk as they stared at the A.O.U.S.s. "I mean, what are the three terrors of the Fire Swamp? One, the flame spurts. No problem. The popping sound precedes each, so we have no trouble avoiding that. Two, the Lightning Sand." He gestured to their filthy bodies. "But we've already discovered what it looks like and how to get out."  
  
"Lelouch," Suzaku said, "you've forgotten about the A.O.U.S.s." It was indeed hard to deny their existence, because they were staring quite hungrily at them.   
  
At once, the A.O.U.S.s descended upon them, and Suzaku shouted as one's teeth sank deeply into his arm. He drove his fist into one's face, rolling it off of him and stabbed another with his long knife, launching it against another to push both off of him.   
  
Lelouch pulled his gun out of his cape, shooting the nearby A.O.U.S.s as he struggled to keep Suzaku in sight. He cried out as one feline bit into his shoulder, teeth like tiny daggers. Firing, he managed one shot going through the skull of an A.O.U.S. close to Suzaku's neck, and said, "Suzaku, listen for popping!"  
  
A moment of great struggle, and then relief: a pop. Suzaku rolled towards the sound, just as a flame shot upwards, catching the last A.O.U.S. on fire; it released him and he rolled free, stabbing the panicked A.O.U.S. with his knife. It died.  
  
"Suzaku," Lelouch said, helping him off of the ground, "look. There's a beach." And beyond the great trees, seeming like an impossibility, there it was. A beach, just beyond the edge of the Fire Swamp.  
  
"We did it," Suzaku breathed out.  
  
"Now," Lelouch said, beginning to smile, "was that so terrible?" He pulled Suzaku with him, and they ran towards the edge of the Fire Swamp.   
  


  
  
As they appeared from the edge of the swamp, they saw something they had never expected: Euphemia and Cornelia sat, mounted on their white horses. There were three warriors behind them, prepared to engage in battle. Suzaku and Lelouch are exhausted, bitten and singed, dirty and worn.   
  
"Surrender!" Viscount Cornelia called.  
  
Behind the party were the waters of the bay.  
  
Lelouch stepped forward, projecting his voice. "You mean you wish to surrender to me? Very well, I accept. "  
  
"I give you full marks for bravery," Viscount Cornelia said, "Don't make yourself out to be a fool."  
  
"Ah, but how will you capture us?" Lelouch responded, a confidence filling his tone, "We know the secrets of the Fire Swamp. We can live there quite well for some time. And any time you like, you are welcome to visit us: if you don't mind dying, that is." He carried the bluff well, but Suzaku could see the tension in his shoulders.   
  
"I will tell you once more," Viscount Cornelia said, "Surrender."  
  
"I will not," Lelouch replied.  
  
Suzaku caught movement out of the corner of his eye, where he found archers on either side, prepared to kill Lelouch. (It was assumed at this point that they were not going to kill Suzaku.)  
  
"For the last time," Viscount Cornelia said, "Surrender!"  
  
"Death first!" Lelouch roared back.  
  
Behind them, Suzaku saw yet another warrior, this one with a crossbow that would be impossible to dodge. He breathed out. "Will you promise not to hurt him?" Suzaku asked.  
  
Euphemia and Cornelia stopped, staring at him. "What was that?" Princess Euphemia asked, gently.  
  
Lelouch had also turned, and this close he could see the desperation in his eyes. Lelouch's eyes locked on the archer behind them, and then to the left and right, and all at once the defiance crumpled out of him. "Please, no," Lelouch whispered.  
  
Suzaku smiled. "If we surrender, and I return with you, will you promise not to hurt this man?"  
  
"May I live a thousand years and never dream again," Princess Euphemia swore.  
  
Suzaku gestured at Lelouch. "He is a sailor on the pirate ship "The Black Knights". Promise me that you'll return him to his ship."  
  
"I swear," Princess Euphemia said.  
  
Suzaku looked at Lelouch, curling a finger to swipe the hair from his eyes. "I'm sorry," he said.  
  
"Please take care of him, Cornelia," Princess Euphemia said quietly, "Take him away, back to Japan, and throw him into the Pit of Despair for daring to touch Suzaku."  
  
"I swear it will be done," Viscount Cornelia said, her lips twitching into a smile.   
  
Still at the edge of the forest, Suzaku said, "I thought you were dead once, and it almost destroyed me." He accepted the hand onto a nearby horse. "I could not bear it if you died again, not when I could save--" His horse was kicked, and three of the party vanished into the distance: Euphemia, Suzaku, and two guards.   
  
Lelouch, watching their backs, stay silent. Soldiers surrounded him, bringing him to Viscount Cornelia, but he only had eyes for the point on the horizon where Suzaku had vanished.   
  
"Come, sir pirate," Viscount Cornelia said, "We must get you to your ship."  
  
"We are men of action," Lelouch said, a sad smile quirking his lips, "and so lies do not become us."  
  
"Well spoken, sir--" Viscount Cornelia agreed, and then paused as she saw how intently Lelouch was studying her. "What is it?"  
  
"You have fuchsia hair," Lelouch observed, "and based on your attire you are a swordsman. There was someone looking for yo--"  
  
She bashed him over the head, watching until he fell to the ground. "Pick him up," Viscount Cornelia ordered, "we have orders to fulfill."

  
  
There was a place called the Pit of Despair, for it was underground and dark, cold for the lack of sunlight and windowless to keep one blind to the outside. Only flickering torches lit the room where Lelouch was chained in the center of a cage.   
  
A man entered the pit. He had blue hair, curling at the tips, and was well-tanned. He was Rivalz. With him, he carried a tray of food and medicine, which he put close to Lelouch.  
  
"Where am I?" Lelouch rasped, tongue flicking out to wet his lips.  
  
"The Pit of Despair!" Rivalz shouted, for he could only shout. His voice was shrill, but he continued talking as he roughly tended to Lelouch's wounds. "Don't even think--" He coughed abruptly, "Don't even think of trying to escape! The chains are far too thick, and rescue is impossible, too! The only way in is secret! And only the Princess, and the Viscount, and I know how to get in and out!"   
  
"Then I'm here until I die?" Lelouch questioned.  
  
"Till they kill you!" Rivalz agreed. "Yeah!"  
  
Lelouch swallowed. "Then why bother curing me?"  
  
Shrugging, Rivalz answered, "The Princess and the Viscount always insist on everyone being healthy before they're broken!"   
  
"So it's torture?"   
  
Rivalz nodded.  
  
"I can cope with torture." Lelouch said.  
  
Rivalz shook his head.  
  
"You don't believe me?" He questioned, "Why?"  
  
"You survived the Fire Swamp, so you must be very brave!" Rivalz assured, "But nobody withstands the Machine!" He gestured to the large contraption on the other side of the room.  
  
Lelouch looked sad for a moment, and then said, "Would you like to play a game?"  
  


  
  
Suzaku looked pale, wandering down a corridor in the Japanese castle. His shoulders were low, and he walked mindlessly through the area, not registering anything.  
  
As he passed, Euphemia laced her fingers. "He's been like that ever since the Fire Swamp." She sighed, turning to Cornelia. "It's my father's failing health that's upsetting him."  
  
"Of course," Viscount Cornelia said, her tone patronizing.   
  


  
  
And so it came to be that the King died that night, and before the next day had properly begun, Suzaku and Euphemia were married.  
  
In the main courtyard, there were a great many people, packed so tightly that it was hard to imagine breathing. Euphemia and Cornelia stood high on the balcony, glancing over the crowd. For this was to be their wedding announcement, and their announcement of the King's death.  
  
"My father's final words were, 'marry the boy you love, and conquer him as I conquered Japan'. As such, I present to you, your King. King Suzaku."  
  
As she spoke, Suzaku appeared from the same staircase as before; and just as before, there were waves of silent, kneeling citizens. Suzaku froze, stunned at the reaction he was receiving before they heard--  
  
Shouting. Someone in the crowd was booing, and it became louder and louder as a girl with rough hair pulled into twin tails approached him, booing every step of the way. Her name was Nina, and she was in love with the Princess Euphemia.  
  
"Why do you do this?" Suzaku asked.  
  
"Because you had love in your hands, and you gave it up." Nina booed.  
  
"But they would have killed Lelouch," Suzaku said, "if I hadn't done it."  
  
"Your true love lives, and you marry another's!" Nina cried. She turned to the crowd. "True love saved him in the Fire Swamp, and he treated it like garbage. And that's what he is-- garbage! Bow to him if you want, but he is no king! Bow to him, this traitor of the Japanese and King of garbage! Boo! Boo! Rubbish! Filth! Boo! Boo!" She grabbed Suzaku, spitting in his face, and shouted--  
  
Suzaku crashed out of his bed, blankets falling around him. He pulled himself from the floor, wrapping a robe around himself as he ran through the castle. For in truth, the King still lived: but Suzaku's nightmares were growing worse.  
  
He burst into Princess Euphemia's chambers, where Euphemia and Cornelia stood together.  
  
"The truth is," Suzaku said, "I love Lelouch. I always have, and I know now that I always will. If you tell me I must marry you in ten days, I will be dead by morning."  
  
Princess Euphemia swallowed, her eyes wide. "I- I could never cause you such grief," she stated, "please consider our wedding off." She turned to Cornelia. "You returned this Lelouch to his ship?"  
  
"By your order," Viscount Cornelia confirmed.  
  
"Then we will simply alert him." Euphemia decided. "Beloved, are you certain he still wants you? After all, you abandoned him in the Fire Swamp; and pirates are not known to be forgiving men."  
  
"Lelouch will come," Suzaku said.  
  
"I suggest a deal," Euphemia said, gently, "Write four copies of a letter. I'll send my four fastest ships, one in each direction. The Dread Pirate Zero is always close to Japan at this time of year. We'll run up a white flag and deliver your message." She offered him a cup of tea. "If Lelouch wants you, then please be happy together. And if not, then…" Euphemia hesitated, "please consider me as an alternative to suicide. Is that agreeable?"  
  
Suzaku nodded, finally beginning to relax.  
  


  
  
In a thick grove of trees, the Princess and the Viscount walked. The trees were all heavily knotted, like some contortionist had played with the trees and left them that way. As they grew farther and father from the castle, they began to speak.  
  
"Your Prince is really a winning creature," Cornelia commented, "Naive, perhaps, but undeniably appealing."  
  
"Oh, I know." Euphemia said, "It's quite odd, but the people are so very taken with him. I thought it was clever when I hired Milly to kill him on our engagement day, but I suppose it will be better if I strangle him on our wedding night." She brushed a leaf from her skirt. "Once the Chinese Federation is blamed, this outpost will be outraged, and Britannia will have no choice but to throw its full might against the Chinese."  
  
They were deeper into the grove now, and Cornelia searched around. "Where is that secret knot? It's always difficult to find." Finding the correct knot, she hit it, revealing a hidden staircase in the tree. "Would you like to come down to the Pit? Lelouch has his strength back, and I will be starting him on the Machine tonight."  
  
"Cornelia," Euphemia said, "you know I love watching you work, but I've many more things to do. I have to plan the fourth anniversary of our capture of Japan, arrange my wedding, murder my husband, and frame the Chinese Federation. I really have too much to do."  
  
"Get some rest, then," Cornelia advised, "you need to care for your health." She descended down the stairs, and the tree slid perfectly, hiding the staircase. In the room, she found Lelouch, still chained, and a great Machine: there were levers and wheels, wires and bulbs. It was unsettling to look upon at first, but Cornelia has grown used to it.   
  
"Beautiful!" She called out. "Isn't it?"   
  
Rivalz began attaching the suction cups to Lelouch.  
  
"It took me half a lifetime to invent it," Cornelia admitted. "I'm sure you can tell that I'm quite interested in pain. As such, I hope that you won't hesitate to really tell me how the Machine makes you feel." She licked her lips. She reached for a dial on the machine, labelled 1 to 50. "Since this is our first try, why don't we start you off on the lowest setting?"  
  
She turned the dial to one, and observed Lelouch. He had suction cups on his head, his temple, his chest, his hands and feet. He lay still on the Machine. Cornelia pressed a button, opening a floodgate on the Machine, which turned a wheel, generating more power.   
  
Lelouch arched off the table, limbs flailing, and Cornelia observed him for a moment before turning the machine off.   
  
"You know," Cornelia said, "the concept of the suction pump is centuries old. Well, really, that's all this is. Except I'm sucking life out of you, instead of water. I've just sucked one year of your life away, and I could go as high as five. So tell me. How do you feel?"  
  
Lelouch choked, gagging on his own saliva.   
  
"Interesting," Cornelia said, writing down his reaction.  
  


  
  
In her quarters, Princess Euphemia sat surrounded by paperwork. Clovis, a thin, shifty man, appeared in her doorway without a sound.   
  
"Clovis," Euphemia spoke.  
  
Clovis bowed, and then kneeled. "Sire."  
  
"As Chief Enforcer of all Japan, I trust you with this secret: killers from the Chinese Federation are infiltrating the Thieves' Forest and plan to murder my husband on our wedding night."  
  
"Sire," Clovis said, "my spy network has heard of no such news."  
  
The door opened behind him, and he silenced immediately as Suzaku entered.  
  
"Any word from Lelouch?" Suzaku asked.  
  
"Too soon," Euphemia responded, "You must be patient."  
  
"He'll come," Suzaku said.  
  
"Of course," Euphemia agreed, and they watched him depart. She turned to Clovis. "He will not be murdered. On the day of the wedding, I want to the Thieves' Forest to be emptied, and every inhabitant arrested."  
  
"Many of the thieves will resist," Clovis said. "I will need more enforcers."  
  
"Form a Knightmare Squad then. I want the Thieves' Forest emptied before I wed." Euphemia said, her shoulders slumping for the first time. "I know it will be difficult, Clovis, but it needs to be done."  
  
"As you wish, Sire." Clovis said.  
  


  
  
The day of the wedding had arrived, and in the Thieves' Forest, people were being torn from their homes by the Knightmare Squad, a group of burly men. Amidst it all, Clovis stood atop a wagon, ensuring that his orders were followed. "Is everybody out?"   
  
"Almost," one of his men responded, "There's a half-breed giving us some trouble."  
  
"Well, you give him some trouble! Move!" Clovis called. His wagon started, and they began to pull away.  
  
"Well, sir, it's a girl." The man muttered behind him, words lost to the distance.   
  


  
  
Inside a hovel, Kallen lay sprawled on the ground, high on Refrain and grabbing the Guren greedily. She looked terrible: her eyes were swollen, her face gaunt, and she clearly hadn't bathed in days. She brandished the Guren at anyone who approached her, at a speed and skill that gave them pause.  
  
"I am waiting, Milly," Kallen said, "You told me to go back to the beginning, so I did, and I am, and I'm staying. I will not be moved." She stroked the Guren lovingly, and stared at the man who came into view. "I will not budge, you hear!" She muttered, "Milly gave orders. When a job goes wrong, you go back to the beginning, and this is where we got the job so it's the beginning and I'm staying until Milly comes."  
  
The man called over a brute.  
  
"I." Kallen gritted her teeth. "Am. Waiting. For. Milly."  
  
"You're rather mean right now," said a very familiar voice, and a very familiar hand stroked her head. Kallen looked at the hand, a truly enormous hand, and then at the speaker. "Hello."  
  
"It's you," Kallen said, staring at Ohgi.  
  
"Yes," Ohgi agreed. "It's me."  
  
The man who had called him over prepared to swing at Kallen, so Ohgi punched him, sending him into a nearby wall; he didn't move.   
  
"You don't look so good." Ohgi said. "Or smell so good, either."  
  
"I feel fine," Kallen argued.   
  
"Really?" Ohgi said, and stepped away.  
  
Kallen fainted.  
  
And so Ohgi and Kallen were reunited (once Kallen had reawakened). Ohgi nursed his old friend back to health, telling Kallen of Milly's death and the existence of Viscount Cornelia, the fuschia-haired swordsman. Considering that this was the goal of Kallen's lifelong search, she handled it very well:  
  
She passed out into her soup.  
  
Tired of this, Ohgi splashed her with cold water, and then with hot, repeating until Kallen had revived.  
  
"Enough already!" Kallen shouted, swatting at him. She stood, ready to fight, and clenched Guren close to her. "Where is the Cornelia so I may kill her?"  
  
"She's with the Princess in the Castle." Ohgi said. "But the castle gate is guarded by thirty men."  
  
"How many can you handle? Truthfully," Kallen asked.  
  
"No more than ten."  
  
"Ugh," Kallen said. "That leaves twenty for me, which I could not do at my best." She sank back onto the floor. "I need Milly to plan. I have no gift for strategy."  
  
"Milly's dead." Ohgi stated.  
  
Silence.  
  
Then, "No-- not Milly, but the man in black!" Kallen shouted.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Look, he bested you with your strength, your greatness." Kallen started.  
  
"I'm pretty sure he drugged me," Ohgi complained.  
  
"And he bested me with steel."  
  
"But he was carrying a gun, Kallen."  
  
"And in order to reach the Fire Swamp, he must have outthought Milly!"  
  
"I can agree with that," Ohgi said.  
  
Kallen spread her arms, "A man who could do those things? He can plan my castle's onslaught any day. Let's go!"  
  
"Go where?" Ohgi asked.  
  
"To find the man in black, clearly!"  
  
Ohgi said slowly, "But we don't know where he is."  
  
"Don't," Kallen stressed, "bother me with such tiny details! After ten years, my brother's soul will at last be at rest!" She clenched her free fist. "There will be blood tonight!"  
  


  
  
In Princess Euphemia's room, she sharpened her dagger as she surveyed the large amount of paperwork she still had to do. Clovis entered, bowing before kneeling at her feet.


End file.
